Mendoza, Argentina, June 2, 2025—Terrazas de los Andes celebrates a new milestone in its history: Terrazas de los Andes Extremo Malbec 2021 has been awarded a perfect 100-point score by renowned American wine critic Virginie Boone in her article “Opening the Door to Argentina: 2020 to 2024,” published on the influential platform JebDunnuck.com.
This recognition confirms Terrazas de los Andes Extremo Malbec as a true icon of high-altitude viticulture in Argentina. Sourced from the El Espinillo vineyard—located in Gualtallary, Uco Valley, the highest vineyard planted at 1,650 meters (5413 feet) above sea level—this wine represents the pinnacle of Terrazas de los Andes’ “Ascension Journey,” a historical and literal quest skyward into the mountains in pursuit of excellence. In this extreme environment, the mountain climate and high altitude imbue the wine with vibrant freshness, while the native flora and fauna fostered by the surrounding biodiversity and regenerative viticulture practices contribute delicate notes of mountain herbs, adding complexity, authenticity and a graceful, aromatic profile.
Launched in late 2024, Terrazas de los Andes Extremo Malbec’s international debut included a standout appearance at the Naples Winter Wine Festival, where an exclusive lot was auctioned for $500,000.
In her review, Boone describes the wine as “a huge achievement and aptly named, grown on an extremely cool site at 5,413-feet elevation, at the limit of where vineyards can grow.” She highlights its “delicate framework of gorgeous passionfruit, lemon verbena, and forest floor, supple in texture, Pinot esque in its ethereal embrace of understated elegance. Native thyme tangles with tobacco leaf, remaining herbal and earthy and finishing with a twist of cinnamon.” According to Boone, the wine has extraordinary longevity, with an aging potential of over 20 years.
Boone’s article puts a spotlight on the evolution and potential of Argentine wine. “Everyone talks about capturing freshness in their wines. Argentina is doing it, without losing either the power or the concentration the red wines of this historic wine country are known for.” She also emphasizes the critical role of altitude in this viticultural revolution: “Producers are pushing into even higher altitudes within the folds of the Andes, where conditions are as extreme as one can imagine, but the combination of cooler temperatures, intense UV light, and wild soils are leading to exciting, unexpected wines.”
Lucas Löwi, Terrazas de los Andes Estate Director, commented: “We are deeply proud and grateful for this historic recognition for Terrazas de los Andes. Achieving a 100-point score is an immensely emotional milestone for our entire team and reaffirms our vision of pushing the boundaries of high-altitude extreme viticulture to craft unique, intense, and elegant mountain wines.” Löwi proudly leads the talented winemaking team composed of Head Winemaker José R. Ponce, Maximiliano Ardanaz and Valeria Manzano, creating wines that capture the freshness and elegance of the Andes.
About Terrazas de los Andes
Three decades ago, driven by the dream of crafting fine mountain wines, Terrazas de los Andes ventured into the high-altitude terraces of the Andes in search of a refined varietal expression that can only be achieved in Mendoza’s cool, high-altitude terraces. It is there, where the earth meets the sky, that Terrazas de los Andes was born. The journey began in Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo, planted in 1929, and has reached new heights with El Espinillo, the highest vineyard in Gualtallary, Uco Valley. Established in a historic 19th-century winery, today Terrazas de los Andes farms a mosaic of estate-grown vineyards that capture the bright, fresh taste of the Andes.
With respect for nature front and center, the winery’s Guardians of Mountain Life project embraces regenerative viticulture, conserves precious glacier water, and supports the local Andean community and the winery’s own employees. With the aim of creating wines that embody the purity of the Andes, Terrazas de los Andes’ purpose is to reveal and preserve the magic of these extraordinary landscapes.
